


The Evil of Doctor Destroyer

by segerge



Series: TASK FORCE [4]
Category: HERO Champions
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-16
Updated: 2016-06-16
Packaged: 2018-07-15 08:37:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7215337
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/segerge/pseuds/segerge
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(November 1983) TASK FORCE ends up in the way of an elaborate plot by Doctor Destroyer to destroy DEMON</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Dublin

**Author's Note:**

> **warnings** : language, death-traps
> 
> * * *
> 
> #### Dramatis Personae:
> 
> **Task Force (Dallas-Fort Worth supergroup)**
> 
>   * Ted Jameson (AKA Ranger), CEO of ProStar, speedster and team leader
>   * Julie Dormyer (AKA Ladyhawk), Chairman of the Board of Directors for ProStar, ninja with latent powers of temporal visualization
>   * Dr. Bob Hawkins (AKA Starforce), Research Scientist for ProStar, power-armor wearer/gadgeteer
>   * Rev. Kent Christiansen (AKA Spiritual Warrior), Associate Pastor of Carrolton Park Church, mage with a holy sword
>   * Frederick 'Bowser' Bastable (AKA Mr. Bassman), jazz artist and mutant sonic projector
>   * Jack Snyder (AKA Minuteman), independent trucker, brick with stretching powers
> 

> 
> **Justice Squadron (NYC supergroup)**
> 
>   * The Drifter (expy of Dr. Strange except he looks like a 1940's private eye)
> 

> 
> **villains**
> 
>   * Clayton Stiles (AKA Nest Leader), local philanthropist, leader of the DFW Metroplex VIPER nests
>   * Dr. Albert Zerstoiten (AKA Dr. Destroyer, expy of Dr. Doom in the Champions Universe timeline)
> 

> 
> **AUTHOR'S NOTE 1** : Internal monologue is denoted by [[ ]], telepathy by (( ))
> 
> **AUTHOR'S NOTE 2** : This story is based on the plot seed of the same name in the Champions 4th Edition supplement "Classic Enemies"
> 
> * * *

(Farmers Branch, TX. Late night)

(PoV is the interior of a warehouse east of DFW International Airport and close to the intersection of I-35E and I-635. There is a CLICK! from one of the outside doors, and it opens to reveal TASK FORCE outside, waiting to enter)

**Ladyhawk** (putting her lockpicks away): "Boom."

**Ranger** : "Team, move in. Starforce, scan for traps."

**Starforce** : "Do I *look* like I'm a thief?"

(as he drifts by Ladyhawk for a better look inside, she rabbit-punches him. Or more precisely, his forcefield, which goes about as well as you'd expect)

**Ladyhawk** (whispered): "Ow."

**Starforce** : "Then keep your hands to yourself, Ninjette."

(tense pause while Starforce stops in mid-air and rapidly switches through spectral filters)

**Starforce** : "Think they're using enough laser beams to register movement in here?"

**Ranger** : "Minuteman, Starforce? Make us a bridge around the laser grid."

**Starforce** : "On it. Warrior, link me and Minuteman, please?"

**Spiritual Warrior** : ((done))

**Starforce** : ((Jack, got the location of the lasers?))

**Minuteman** (beat): ((Yeah, good buddy. Hang on.))

(beat, then Jack 'Minuteman' Snyder impossibly extends his body over the laser grid between TASK FORCE and their objective)

**Minuteman** : "Use me as the bridge over the security grid, guys."

**Mr. Bassman** : "Tank you, mon!"

(using Minuteman as a bridge, TASK FORCE makes it across the warehouse. Starforce is already standing next to an electronically-locked door)

**Starforce** (indicating the door): "Elevator to the lower levels."

**Ladyhawk** (stepping up to the door): "On it."

(she starts to work with her lockpicks)

**Mr. Bassman** : "Is it me, mon, or has this been too easy?"

**Ranger** : "We're not in the lower levels of the Nest yet. Be patient."

(the electronic lock BLEEPs, startling the team. The elevator door slides open, revealing an empty shaft)

**Ranger** : "Starforce, Ladyhawk, find us a Landing Zone. Pastor, switchboard with them."

**Ladyhawk** (disgusted): "Do I *have* to?"

**Ranger** (annoyed): "That's an order, soldier."

(grumbling, Ladyhawk stands in front of Starforce and puts her arms around him)

**Ladyhawk** : "Keep your hands to yourself, Nerd-boy, or you'll be sounding like you've been breathing helium for a week."

**Starforce** : "Says the girl whose hands are squeezing my butt underneath my cape."

**Ladyhawk** : "NERD-BOY!!"

**Ranger** (angry): "GUYS! Focus!"

(Starforce sighs, and with his arms around Ladyhawk jumps into the elevator shaft. The shaft is briefly illuminated with the flare of Starforce's forcefield and flight activating)

**Ranger** (to Spiritual Warrior): "I swear, the two of them are enough to make me never want to have children of my own!"

**Spiritual Warrior** : "They are young. And, in spite of outward appearances, they are attracted to each other." (beat) "They simply lack the experience to express it in a more mature manner."

**Ranger** : "I wish they would."

**Spiritual Warrior** : "Okay, they're at the next floor down. Starforce is forcing the door open..." (beat) "They're in. It appears to be some sort of large training complex."

**Ranger** : "Tell 'em we're on our way."

**Spiritual Warrior** (beat): "Done."

**Ranger** : "Everyone get close."

(the rest of TASK FORCE congregates around Ranger and Spiritual Warrior)

**Spiritual Warrior** : "Porting in 3... 2... 1..."

(zzzzzZZZZZAP!!)

(the room they have just teleported into is just as described. The only detail which has been left out is the TV monitor on a rolling cart at the far end of the room)

**Ladyhawk** (to Ranger): "You think we would have run into opposition by now."

**Minuteman** : "Could the base be deserted?"

**Ladyhawk** : "Impossible. The audit trail I figured out from all the high-tech parts buys led *here*!"

**Minuteman** : "Pappy knew a Navajo holy man when he fought on Guadacanal. Said he could fake trails like nobody's business..."

(Ladyhawk's Danger Sense screams for attention)

**Ladyhawk** : "Ranger, it's a trap!"

(before Ranger can bark out any orders, blast doors slam shut over all entrances and exits to the room. It is only then that the TV monitor lights up, showing an imposing-looking man in a VIPER combat uniform whose helmet visor is dark)

**Man** (from monitor): "So this is the mighty TASK FORCE! Given your history this past year and the setbacks VIPER took, I was expecting someone more competent!"

**Ranger** (to Mr. Bassman, pointing to the ceiling): "Make a hole!"

**Mr. Bassman** : "On it, mon."

(he inhales, and funny sensations crawl over everyone's body as he attempts to weaken the ceiling)

**Starforce** : "How do you know this isn't part of Ranger's Master Plan to take you down?"

**Man** (from monitor): "Ah, the infamous Starforce wit. A shame I had to experience it before you die."

**Ladyhawk** (muttered, to Starforce): "Not. HELPING!"

**Mr. Bassman** (stopping his attack on the ceiling, gasping for air): "Can't find its frequency, mon!"

**Man** (from monitor): "Nor will you, thanks to the sound-absorbent materials which have been sandwiched into your trap's construction." (beat) "I spared no expense on your behalf."

**Ranger** (to the monitor): "Who are you?"

**Man** (from monitor, indicating his uniform): "You mean, you can't figure it out?"

**Ranger** : "Obviously, you must be VIPER's new Nest Leader for the Dallas-Fort Worth Nest complex."

**Clayton** : "Bravo, Ranger. Your team has come to the Council of Thirty's attention over the past year. They have assigned me to take care of you."

(high-pressure gas suddenly begins to hiss into the room)

**Starforce** (switching through spectral filters): "Methane and complex hydrocarbons, boss, under high pressure."

**Clayton** (from monitor, holding a control box up): "One spark, and my mission is accomplished."

**Ranger** : "You think we won't survive this?"

**Clayton** : "No. A shame, really, because I was looking forward to matching wits with..."

(zzzzzZZZZZAP!!)

**Starforce** (throwing up): "(HWAAUUGH!!)DAMM IT!!(hachk!)"

(TASK FORCE looks around. They are in some sort of mist-covered forest. A man in a fedora and a trench coat straight out of a pulp-era film noir looks at them as they recover from the teleport. There is an ugly stain on his shirt, almost like blood)

**Ranger** (to the man): "Who are you? Where are we?"

**Man** : “I dreamt last night of fire and darkness. You and your team are going to have to come with me.”

* * *

(Outside Dublin, Ireland. One second later)

/* suggested music: [The Fable](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGflFROjOuw), by Fran Soto */

**Spiritual Warrior** : "Ranger, stand down! He is the Drifter."

**Ranger** (beat, impresssed): "Oh!" (beat) "Not that we don't mind the timely rescue, but why us and not the rest of the Justice Squadron?"

**Drifter** : "My teammates are unavailable right now to oppose what Doctor Destroyer is about to do to Earth."

**Ranger** : "Which would be... what, exactly?"

**Drifter** : "Assembling the components for a magic spell to conquer it."

**Spiritual Warrior** : "Wait. Doctor Destroyer is doing something involving magic?"

**Drifter** : "Yes."

**Starforce** : "But Destroyer doesn't BELIEVE in magic! I should know, I've been studying him!"

**Drifter** : "Which is what makes his current efforts very troubling."

**Ranger** : "What is he doing?"

**Drifter** (beat): "How familiar are you with the efforts of Irish monks in preserving Greco-Roman civilization?"

(awkward pause while Ranger looks at Starforce)

**Starforce** (to Ranger): "Don't look at me. That's history, not physics!"

**Ladyhawk** (deadpan): "That's an historic occasion."

(Starforce gives Ladyhawk a dirty look)

**Ranger** (beat, to the Drifter): "Not a whole lot."

**Drifter** : "Okay, then. In the years following the collapse of the Western Roman Empire a millenium and a half ago, Irish monks and monasteries did superhuman work in preserving the written records of the classical era for future generation. Some of that work involved supernatural knowledge which predated even ancient Greece or Egypt."

**Spiritual Warrior** : "Are you saying that the Irish monks of that era preserved tomes of lore that predate even those cultures?"

**Drifter** (beat): "Yes."

**Spiritual Warrior** : "What specifically are we talking about?"

**Drifter** : "The current problem concerns books codified during the First Dynasty of ancient Egypt. Four indestructible books of eldritch lore were scribed, which when translated in Ptolemaic times were called the Liber Maximus Magia." (beat) "It is said that when combined the Liber Maximus Magia contains a spell which allows the caster to rule the world if his will is strong enough."

**Ladyhawk** : "And if their will isn't strong enough?"

**Drifter** : "Earth would be destroyed."

**Starforce** : "Oh, please. I Dungeon-mastered that campaign back in high school!"

**Spiritual Warrior** : "Hold on. Other than they transcribed it, how are the Irish involved with this book?"

**Drifter** : "Follow me, please."

(TASK FORCE follows the Drifter to a break in the forest, with some sort of glow beyond it. They reach it, and see a large city spread out in front of them)

**Drifter** : "We are currently outside Dublin, Ireland. The second book of the Liber Maximus Magia resides in the library of Trinity University here."

**Ranger** : "What of the other books?"

**Drifter** : "The first book was stolen from Moscow two nights ago. This book is being targeted tonight."

**Ranger** (beat): "Oh."

(he looks at the rest of TASK FORCE)

**Ladyhawk** : "What are we waiting for?"

**Ranger** (to the Drifter): "Take us there."

**Starforce** : "Wait, WHAT..."

(zzzzzZZZZAP!!)

* * *

(Library, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland. One second later)

(zzzzzZZZZZAP!!)

**Starforce** (throwing up): "(HWAAUUGH!!)CRAP!!(hachk!)"

(awkward pause, while Starforce finishes voiding the contents of his stomach over the floor of the building which they are currently in)

**Starforce** (weakly): "Was this trip really necessary?"

**Drifter** : "We couldn't get here any quicker."

**Ladyhawk** : "Why?"

(zzzzzZZZZZAP!)

(Doctor Destroyer appears in the library with them)

**Ranger** : "BLOODY HELL!!"

**Dr. Destroyer** : "Excellent. The Guardians can attack YOU, then!"

**Minuteman** : "What guardians?"

(the statue at the front of the gallery turns around and looks at TASK FORCE plus Doctor Destroyer)

**Mr. Bassman** : "Dat one, mon?"

**Starforce** : "Ray Harryhausen, call your office..."

(in what seems to be a trick of lighting -- which is not hard in the predawn gloom inside Trinity's library -- there now seem to be two statues regarding them all)

**Dr. Destroyer** : "I leave you all to your fate, meine damen und herren. Destroyer's business here shall NOT be interrupted!"

(with an imperious swirl of his cape, Destroyer walks deeper into the library)

**Ladyhawk** (Danger Sense screaming, looking back at the statues): "Uh, guys?"

(there now appear to be FOUR statues at the front of the gallery. Beat, then they start walking toward TASK FORCE)

**Ranger** : "What ARE they?"

**Drifter** : "A mystic guardian, set here long ago to keep people from doing what Doctor Destroyer is attempting to do now."

(as the statues advance down the gallery, their features seem to swim. Now there are *eight* statues)

**Starforce** : "You have GOT to be KIDDING ME!"

(the statue's features swim again. 16 statues advance inexorably on TASK FORCE, until 4 leap over their heads and stride down the aisle Doctor Destroyer had taken)

**Drifter** : "Leave them. They are going after Destroyer." (beat, turns) "As am I."

(zzzzzZZZZZAP!!)

**Starforce** (looking at the remaining statues): "Well, I guess that leave two apiece for the rest of us?"

**Ladyhawk** : "Thank you SO much, Mr. Lightning Calculator!"

**Ranger** : "Let's try to keep them at range, people! GO!!"

(segment 2, effective DEX 30. Forcefield rippling, Starforce hits a guardian statue with an electrogravitic shock for 30 STUN after defenses. It drops to its knees, CON-stunned)

(also effective DEX 30. Ranger hits another guardian statue for 26 STUN after defenses)

(also effective DEX 30. Ladyhawk scatters a pack of marbles on the floor between TASK FORCE and the oncoming statues as her Danger Sense screams)

**Ladyhawk** (diving behind a table): "TAKE COVER!!"

(also effective DEX 30. Four guardian statues slip on the marbles rolling underneath their feet and fail their subsequent DEX rolls. Falling, they lose their action. The statue Ranger damaged takes a swing at him and misses. The remaining six all fire energy blasts at Spiritual Warrior, of which only two [amazingly enough] hit for only 13 STUN and 8 STUN. Spiritual Warrior grits his teeth and powers through the attack rather than deflect it like he could have)

(segment 3, effective DEX 26. Spiritual Warrior closes to HTH range and swings Khereviel [set for Penetrating] at the statue Starforce had stunned the previous segment. He hits for 4 BODY and STUN after defenses)

(effective DEX 25. Mr. Bassman hits Ranger's target from segment 2 for 5 BODY and 14 meters of knockback, managing to catch another of the unengaged statues as it hurtles back through the gallery. Both are CON-stunned from the impact)

(effective DEX 23. Minuteman finally gets to act. Choosing an unengaged statue, he does a stretched punch and achieves surprise in combat, halving its DCV. He hits for 32 STUN after defenses, CON-stunning it and knocking it back 6 meters for no additional damage)

(segment 4, effective DEX 30. Ranger blurs as he increases his speed throughout the battle area, hitting the 8 statues unaffected by marbles with his moving attack for 13 STUN after defenses. One statue is out)

(also effective DEX 30. Starforce switches to another unengaged statue and hits it with electrogravitic shock for 32 STUN, CON-stunning it)

(also effective DEX 30. Ladyhawk grabs a thermite pellet out of her utility belt)

**Ladyhawk** (internal monologue): [[like I have anything else that can affect a magical *statue*...]]

**Starforce** : "Ninjette! That won't scratch 'em!!"

**Ladyhawk** : "Then what the HECK am I supposed to do?!?"

**Ranger** : "Use your swingline to trip one up!!"

**Ladyhawk** (beat, switching the thermite out for the swingline): "Okay..."

(she hits with the swingline on the statue now fighting Spiritual Warrior. Before she can attempt to pull its legs out from under it, it expends its action phase and makes its STR roll, breaking the line)

**Ladyhawk** : "Dammit!"

(the four statues that ran afoul of Ladyhawk's marbles continue to fail their DEX rolls to get back to their feet. With one out, another one recovering from being stunned, and one having already expended its segment 4 action, five are left. Two engage Starforce with energy blasts and hit, doing only 7 STUN and 2 STUN after defenses [Ranger told him to engage at range, so he reallocated his forcefield entirely to ED])

**Starforce** (annoyed): "HEY!"

(the statue fighting Spiritual Warrior punches, hitting him but doing no damage. The Double Knockback on that punch, however, sends Spiritual Warrior 6 meters backward into a bookcase. Books fly everywhere as he catches himself against its remains)

(the two final statues turn their attention to Minuteman and hit him with energy blasts for 13 STUN and 6 STUN after defenses)

(segment 5, effective DEX 26. Spiritual Warrior half-move teleports out of the remains of the bookcase into which he was knocked and takes another swing with Khereviel. He does only 3 BODY after defenses)

(effective DEX 25. Mr. Bassman switches his Infrasonic Liquefaction to Spiritual Warrior's statue and hits for 5 BODY and 5 STUN. It falls over unmoving as both its arms shatter from the cumulative damage it had sustained)

(segment 6, effective DEX 30. Ranger repeats his segment 4 action on the 6 statues still on their feet, putting 12 more STUN on them all)

(also effective DEX 30. Starforce retargets the statue he attacked in segment 4 with his electrogravitic shock and knocks it out)

(also effective DEX 30. Ladyhawk's marble cloud from segment 2 has dispersed, and the four statues that ran afoul of it are getting back onto their feet)

**Ladyhawk** (throwing her remaining marbles at them): "I don't think so."

(four missed DEX rolls later, they're back on their butts at half DCV)

(also effective DEX 30. There are five statues that remain standing. Two engage Starforce again, one engages Spiritual Warrior, and two engage Minuteman. Starforce takes another 11 STUN, Spiritual Warrior aborts his segment 8 action to deflect the blast that would have hit him, and Minuteman takes a total of 19 more STUN after defenses)

(effective DEX 23. Minuteman hits one of his two attackers with a stretched arm for 33 STUN after defenses. It's out)

(segment 8, effective DEX 30. Starforce switches off to one of the statues on its butt and hits for 18 STUN)

**Starforce** : "BASSMAN! Switch off to the ones on the floor!"

**Mr. Bassman** : "Got it, mon!"

(Ranger repeats the same attack he used in segments 4 and 6 on the four standing statues for 8 more STUN)

**Ladyhawk** : "All I had that was effective against them were my marbles and swingline, and I'm out of both now!"

(effective DEX 30. Two statues attack Starforce, and the remaining two attack Minuteman. By now, Starforce has finally used the brains God gave him to seek shelter behind the bookcase Ladyhawk is using, and they both miss. Minuteman is now behind the ruins of the bookcase Spiritual Warrior destroyed a few segments ago, and both of his assailants miss)

(effective DEX 25. Mr. Bassman targets the statue Starforce hit with his Infrasonic Liquefaction and hits for 5 BODY and 11 meters of knockback. It's now clear of the marble field)

(effective DEX 23. Minuteman snipes with his stretching and his fist, hitting one of his attackers for 35 STUN after defenses. It's out)

(segment 10, effective DEX 30. Starforce continues to hit his previous target with electrogravitic shock, doing 20 STUN)

(effective DEX 30. Ranger does 18 more stun to the four statues still standing, FINALLY causing them to not stand anymore. They are all out)

(effective DEX 30. The three remaining statues finally are able to regain their footing. All of them engage the only target not seeking cover behind a bookshelf -- Spiritual Warrior. He calmly deflects all three blasts with Khereviel)

(effective DEX 25. Mr. Bassman hits Starforce's target for 3 BODY and 46 STUN after defenses, knocking it out before it lands 10 meters down the gallery)

(effective DEX 23. Minuteman takes another sniping punch for 52 STUN after defenses, CON-stunning it)

(segment 12, effective DEX 30. Ranger runs past the remaining intact statue and attacks the statue Minuteman just stunned. It's out)

(effective DEX 30. Starforce hits the remaining statue for 24 STUN)

(effective DEX 30. Before the statue can return fire on Starforce, a dark-clad form vaults over the bookshelf and rolls across the floor. Ladyhawk's action is a surprise in combat, tripping the remaining statue up and putting it on the floor)

(as it expends half a phase struggling to its feet, Spiritual Warrior blink-teleports next to it and takes a mighty swing with Khereviel, doing 36 STuN after defenses. It's out)

(beat, as TASK FORCE looks at each other and catches their breath)

**Ranger** : "Starforce, make sure they don't all wake up again."

**Starforce** (levitating over the collapsed statues): "With pleasure."

(he liberally plays his electrogravitic shock over the fallen guardian statues)

**Ladyhawk** : "Now where's Doctor Destroyer?"

**Starforce** : "Good God, Ninjette! Don't be such an ENTHUSIAST!"

(TASK FORCE can now hear the sounds of energy discharges and massive impacts from deeper in the library. The floor is shaking under their feet)

**Ranger** (pointing in the direction of the sounds): "Somewhere that way. Starforce, spot a landing zone for us!"

**Starforce** (flying in the direction indicated): "On it, boss!"

* * *

(elsewhere in Trinity Library. 30 seconds later)

(Starforce flies into a ruined section of the Library. The remains of four guardian statues are scattered among the books and other debris. The Drifter is slowly getting to his feet in the center of the devastation. Doctor Destroyer is nowhere to be found)

**Starforce** : ((right here guys!))

(zzzzzZZZZZAP!!)

(the rest of TASK FORCE flashes into existence across the other battlezone)

**Ranger** (running over to the Drifter): "Are you all right?"

**Drifter** : "I will be."

**Ladyhawk** : "What happened?"

**Drifter** : "Destroyer was cornered by the four guardian statues that had broken away from the group dealing with you." (beat) "I found myself as one part of a three-way battle, taking fire from both the guardians and Destroyer."

**Spiritual Warrior** : "And the Liber Maximus Magia?"

**Drifter** (beat): "He found it."

**Ranger** : "I'm guessing he took off with it, then, and left you to deal with the guardians?"

**Drifter** : "Yes."

**Starforce** : "Doctor Destroyer does have a reputation for backstabbing people who help him."

**Drifter** : "I wasn't helping him, Dr. Hawkins. Three-way battle, remember?"

**Ranger** (beat): "So now what?"

**Drifter** : "The third volume is in the possession of an amateur collector in Santa Clara, California. I believe some of you are about to visit him on business in two days?"

(shocked pause, held gaze)

**Starforce** (eyes wide): "The CEO of Sequoyah Holographic?"

**Ladyhawk** (in sheer disbelief): "Get out of here!"

**Minuteman** : "I can't help y'all with that one, guys. Gotta load headin' for Florida tomorrow."

**Ranger** : "That's all right. Get back in touch with us as soon as you get back from Florida."

**Minuteman** : "Will do."

**Ranger** (to the Drifter): "Can you return us back to Dallas?"

**Ladyhawk** : "Preferably *not* in VIPER's death trap where you found us?"

**Drifter** : "I am enigmatic, TASK FORCE, not malicious." (beat) "Will the foyer of Dormyer Manor do?"

**Starforce** : "Uh, better make it the driveway. If we land in the foyer, Ninjette will make me clean up the puke I'm gonna leave on the floor."

**Drifter** : "The driveway it is, then."

**Starforce** (beat): "Wait. Wha..."

(zzzzzZZZZZAP!!)

* * *

(to be continued)


	2. Santa Clara

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (October 1983) TASK FORCE attempts to protect the third volume of the _Liber Maximus Magia_ from the kung-fu mercenaries Doctor Destroyer has hired to steal it from the headquarters of a high-tech Silicon Valley company

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **warnings** : language, corporate parties, defenestration, ship teasing
> 
> * * *
> 
> #### Dramatis Personae:
> 
> **Task Force (Dallas-Fort Worth supergroup)**
> 
>   * Ted Jameson (AKA Ranger), CEO of ProStar, speedster and team leader
>   * Julie Dormyer (AKA Ladyhawk), Chairman of the Board of Directors for ProStar, ninja with latent powers of temporal visualization
>   * Dr. Bob Hawkins (AKA Starforce), Research Scientist for ProStar, power-armor wearer/gadgeteer
>   * Rev. Kent Christiansen (AKA Spiritual Warrior), Associate Pastor of Carrolton Park Church, mage with a holy sword
>   * Frederick 'Bowser' Bastable (AKA Mr. Bassman), jazz artist and mutant sonic projector
> 

> 
> **Justice Squadron (NYC supergroup)**
> 
>   * The Drifter (expy of Dr. Strange except he looks like a 1940's private eye)
> 

> 
> **villains**
> 
>   * Dr. Tara Lemick (AKA Lady Blue), power-armor wearer and social justice warrior
>   * Lam Kuei, martial artist with ch'i-manipulation powers
> 

> 
> **others**
> 
>   * Edward Anspaugh, founder and CEO of Sequoyah Holographic
>   * Natalie Morales, Chief Scientist for Sequoyah Holographic
> 

> 
> **AUTHOR'S NOTE 1** : Internal monologue is denoted by [[ ]], telepathy by (( ))
> 
>  **AUTHOR'S NOTE 2** : This story was inspired in part by the DCAU short feature "Chase Me"
> 
> * * *

(Sequoyah Holographic Corporate Headquarters, Santa Clara, CA. Two nights later)

(Ted, Julie, and Bob are in an elevator heading to the top floor of the building. All are dressed formally)

 **Ladyhawk** : "The founder and CEO of the company wanting to negotiate a partnership with us happens to own the third volume of the _Liber Maximus Magia_! What are the odds?"

 **Ranger** : "Especially since this trip's been planned for nearly a month, now!"

 **Starforce** : "I guess they're right when they say that truth is stranger than fiction. At least fiction has to make sense at *some* level."

 **Ladyhawk** : "I still don't get why the Drifter is still using *us*. Shouldn't the Bay Area Guardians be handling things here?"

 **Ranger** : "I'm sure the Drifter has legitimate reasons for that." (beat) "However inscruitable they may seem to us right now."

 **Spiritual Warrior** (in their heads): ((there you are. Team Bravo in position on the roof))

 **Ranger** : ((The Drifter with you?))

 **Mr. Bassman** : ((no. He left right after we arrived and said he would pick us up when we're through tonight))

 **Starforce** : ((figures))

 **Ranger** : ((hush. We're almost there))

(the elevator dings and stops on the 32nd floor. The doors open to a very-expensive social gathering, and they walk out)

 **Ladyhawk** : ((try not to embarrass ProStar, Nerd-boy))

 **Starforce** : ((please. I've been doing meet-and-greets with high-tech companies since I was 14)) (beat) ((and what were YOU doing at that age?))

 **Ranger** : ((guys? Focus!))

(an older, balding man and a darker-skinned woman of indeterminate race and wearing glasses intercept Ted, Julie, and Bob)

 **Older Man** : "TED! Glad you could make it!"

 **Ranger** : "Thank you for the invite, Mr. Anspaugh. We've been so busy getting ProStar back on its feet over the past year that we don't get to travel much."

 **Ed** : "That should change once our strategic agreement gets signed." (beat, indicating Julie) "And your date is..."

 **Ladyhawk** (frostily): "I'm Julie Dormyer. Chairman of the Board of Directors for ProStar."

 **Starforce** (beat, falsetto): ((aawk-waard!!))

 **Ed** (embarrassed): "My apologies, Miss Dormyer! You're so... so..."

 **Ladyhawk** (deadpan): "Young?"

(awkward pause)

 **Ranger** : "Miss Dormyer is the only surviving heir of ProStar's founder Frank Dormyer."

 **Ladyhawk** : "Who better to preserve my father's legacy and my shareholders' interests?" (beat, innocent smile while indicating the woman accompanying him) "Who's YOUR date?"

 **Woman** : "Natalie Morales, Chief Scientist for Sequoyah Holographic." (turns to Bob, gushing while offering her hand) "And you must be Robert Hawkins, the Father of Holographic Computing!"

 **Starforce** (kissing her hand): "In the flesh, Ma'am."

 **Natalie** (giggling): "I had no IDEA *you* were so young, too!"

 **Starforce** (smiling): "I get that quite a bit." (beat) "Say, where do you get drinks around here?"

 **Natalie** (smiling, wrapping an arm around Bob): "Let me show you!"

(Bob and Natalie walk off)

 **Ladyhawk** : ((she's like, TWICE his age! Eww!))

 **Starforce** : ((and exactly WHY do you care, Ninjette?))

 **Ranger** : ((hush, both of you))

 **Ed** (looking off toward his Chief Scientist): "I've never seen her act like that before! Does Dr. Hawkins have that effect on women all the time?"

 **Ranger** (deadpan, aside glance at Julie): "Not that I've ever noticed."

 **Ed** : "Well, then!" (points off to the side) "It's a little noisy and distracting to talk out here. If you and Ms. Dormyer can meet me in that side room in five minutes, we can get down to business."

 **Ranger** (nodding): "We'll see you there."

(Ed walks into the crowds around them. Beat, while Julie looks in shock at Bob and Natalie, drinks in hand, talking and laughing)

 **Ladyhawk** (in disbelief): "It's like Nerd-boy doesn't even TRY! It's just not *fair*..."

 **Ranger** (leaning over and murmured): "You know, if you wouldn't keep beating up *your* dates all the time you wouldn't be looking at him so jealously right now."

 **Ladyhawk** (hotly, murmured): "I am NOT jealous!"

(Ted lifts an eyebrow)

 **Ladyhawk** (continuing, murmured): "Besides, is it *my* fault I keep finding man-boys who expect sex on the first date?"

 **Ranger** : "You *could* try dating Bob, instead."

 **Starforce** : ((I heard that. Eww.))

 **Ladyhawk** (disgusted): "I need a ginger ale before the meeting."

(she stomps off through the reception toward the bartender)

* * *

(Conference Room, Sequoyah Holographic. Five minutes later)

(Ted and Julie are escorted into a well-appointed conference room by Mr. Anspaugh, sitting down next to each other on the other side of the table from him)

 **Ranger** : "If you don't mind me asking, what was with the old book in the display case?"

 **Ed** : "An old book of Latin folklore I picked up at an auction a couple of years ago. Allegedly, it's some sort of..." (makes scare quotes with his fingers) "...spell book."

 **Ranger** : "Allegedly?"

 **Ed** : "If the Romans actually *had* magical abilities, would their empire have collapsed?"

 **Ranger** : "Good point." (beat) "So is Roman history a hobby of yours?"

 **Ed** : "You could say that. I'm not as obsessive about it as *some* people I've met."

 **Ladyhawk** (Danger Sense vaguely pulsing): "Such as?"

 **Ed** : "I was at a lobbying reception in DC a couple of years ago and ran across the senior senator from Oklahoma's boy." (beat, shudders at the memory) "He was as obsessive about Rome as some of my engineers are about _Star Trek_ or _Star Wars_!"

 **Ladyhawk** : "Based on my encounter with him last fall, Mr. Sutherland's now discovered women." /* "The Strange Secret of Matthew Fuseli" */

 **Ed** : "Well, good for him." (beat) "Enough chit-chat! Let's get down to business, shall we...'

(Julie's Danger Sense screams for attention as Anspaugh begins his final pitch)

 **Ladyhawk** : ((what's happening outside?!?))

 **Spiritual Warrior** : ((nothing, yet))

(right on cue, screams can be heard outside the conference room)

 **Ed** (producing a radio from his suit pocket): "Security, what's going on?"

(static)

 **Ed** (alarmed): "Security, respond!"

(still static)

 **Ed** : "You'll be safe in here. I need to see what's happening out there!"

(Ed leaves at a dead run)

 **Ranger** (changing to superheroic ID): "That was easier than I thought it would be!"

 **Ladyhawk** (changing to superheroic ID): "Tell me about it!"

* * *

(32nd Floor, Sequoyah Holographic. Simultaneous with previous scene)

(Natalie Morales and Bob are enjoying each others' company as the party progresses)

 **Natalie** : "You seem to be very comfortable in a social gathering like this!"

 **Starforce** : "As I was explaining to our Chairman of the Board on the elevator, I've been doing this for 7 years. By now, it's second nature."

 **Natalie** : "Even with getting a PhD on an accelerated program?"

 **Starforce** : "I sang with a prestigious men's choir during my time at Purdue. At least once a week, I was rubbing elbows with rich alumni and other Very Important People in settings rather a lot like this one." (beat, absently) "Except you don't seem to have risers here..."

(Natalie giggles. Long pause, held gaze)

 **Natalie** : "There's something I don't understand about your background, though."

 **Starforce** : "Which would be..."

 **Natalie** : "Why did you give up working on forcefield-based power armor?"

 **Starforce** (beat, internal monologue): [[time to take the cover story out for a spin]] (verbally) "The prototype was stolen by a former co-worker, and the testbed by her then-current partner in crime."

 **Natalie** (thinking): "Wouldn't that make the person who stole the testbed the superhero Starforce?"

 **Starforce** : "And now you see why I don't like talking about it. He *stole* my work, and I can't touch him because he's now a sanctioned superhero!"

 **Natalie** : "What about Dr. Lemick?"

 **Starforce** (sad expression crossing his face while he sighs and looks away): "I got on with my life. I don't think it would've worked out between us anyway."

 **Natalie** : "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to pry..."

 **Starforce** : "It's okay." (beat, smiles) "I'll forgive you for that on one condition, though."

 **Natalie** : "Oh?"

 **Starforce** (smiling): "You have the first dance tonight with me."

 **Natalie** (laughing): "You charmer! I was going to have it with you *anyway*!"

(Bob and Natalie have by now wandered over to the hors-d'oeuvre table, which has just been resupplied by a short, blonde waitress. As Bob reaches over to snag a canapé, he makes eye contact with her)

 **Lady Blue** : "Oh, CRAP!!"

 **Starforce** (shocked): "Tara?!?"

 **Chinese-accented Voice** (off to the side): "NOBODY MOVE!!"

(shocked pause, then some screams in the direction of the service elevator. A short, impossibly-muscular humanoid with blue skin leads 12 monks and a food cart into where the party is being held)

 **Starforce** (making his 'KS: The Superhuman World' roll): "Lam Kuei! Martial-arts supervillain!!"

(Lam Kuei pulls the cloth covering the food cart off, revealing a bomb)

 **Lam Kuei** : "You wish to prevent me from destroying your party? Give me the _Liber Maximus Magia_ and I will let you all LIVE!!"

* * *

(32nd Floor, Sequoyah Holographic. One second later)

 **Starforce** (shoving Natalie down to the ground): "DOWN AND UNDER THE TABLE!"

(shocked, she rolls under the table)

(segment 2, DEX 30. Lady Blue's waitress disguise shimmers and vanishes as she drops the hologram. She is wearing her battlesuit, which she immediately uses to slam a forcewall between the monks and as many of the party-goers as she can)

 **Lady Blue** (to Bob): "GET CHANGED! I'll hold them off!"

 **Starforce** (confused): "They're not with you?"

 **Lady Blue** : "NO! I always work alone..."

(DEX 29. Lam Kuei summons his Ch'i powers, and a fireball erupts from his hands to slam into Lady Blue's forcewall for 7 BODY after defenses. Lady Blue grunts from the feedback through her battlesuit)

 **Lady Blue** : "I can't take another one of those!"

(segment 3, DEX 29. Lam Kuei tosses another fireball at Lady Blue's forcewall, which flashes and collapses)

 **Lady Blue** (falling to her knees from the feedback): "ARGH!"

(effective DEX 26)

(zzzzzZZZZZAP!!)

(Spiritual Warrior and Mr. Bassman appear in the ballroom after a half-move teleport)

 **Spiritual Warrior** (to Bob): "Ranger and Ladyhawk have just changed. Let me help"

 **Starforce** : "HOW?!?"

(there is another bright flash, and Bob's suit and tie have been replaced by his battlesuit)

 **Starforce** : "Disturbing, but expedient. Thank you!"

(effective DEX 25. Mr. Bassman inhales, and hits Lam Kuei with his Stunning Blast for 32 STUN. Lam Kuei is CON-stunned)

(DEX 18. The monks charge TASK FORCE, six dogpiling Starforce and the other six going after Mr. Bassman. Starforce takes no damage, Mr. Bassman takes 6 STUN total from the attacks that get through *his* defenses)

 **Mr. Bassman** (outraged): "HEY, MON!"

(segment 4, effective DEX 30. Starforce wins the DEX 30 roll-off and takes out one of his assailants with an Electrogravitic Shock)

 **Starforce** : "A little help, here?"

(DEX 30. Ranger and Ladyhawk are now out of the side room which they were in. Ladyhawk sees the melee around Starforce and Mr. Bassman)

 **Ladyhawk** (tossing a flash-bang from her utility belt): "FLASHING!"

 **Ranger** (shielding his eyes): "Thanks for the warning this time!"

(the reception room is filled with an actinic flash, and all of the monks plus Mr. Bassman are blind until at least segment 6. That's all the time Ranger needs)

(with a blur, Ranger attacks the monks with a 12d6 moving attack. All drop, knocked out for the rest of the turn and hurt bad)

(DEX 30. Lady Blue re-establishes her forcewall)

 **Lady Blue** : "Could somebody do something about Blue Guy?"

(segment 5, DEX 29. Lam Kuei recovers from being stunned)

(effective DEX 26. Spiritual Warrior reestablishes the mind-link)

(effective DEX 25. Mr. Bassman recovers from being flashed)

(segment 6, effective DEX 30. Ranger blurs again as Lam Kuei stretches a hand out to the heroes and hits him with a move-by martial strike. 38 STUN after defenses later, Lam Kuei is out)

(as he collapses face-first to the ground by the bomb cart, his outstretched hand which was going to hit someone with a Drain BODY hits a button on the bomb. Lights begin flashing in an accelerating tempo on the front of the bomb)

 **Ladyhawk** (Danger Sense screaming): "We've got to get rid of that bomb!"

 **Ranger** : "Ya THINK?!?"

 **Starforce** : ((Pastor, put Tara in on the mindlink!))

 **Spiritual Warrior** : ((done))

 **Lady Blue** : ((what the...))

 **Starforce** : ((Tara, no time to explain! Redeploy your forcewall like this!))

(he projects a mental picture of a cylinder on its side, almost like a cannon barrel, with Lam Kuei and the bomb cart midway down its length and one end up against the windows)

 **Lady Blue** (reconfiguring forcewall): ((done))

 **Ranger** : ((the explosion's going to go out both ends like that...))

 **Starforce** (flying over to the interior end of the reconfigured forcewall, forcefield rippling): ((not if I use myself as the breech block))

 **Ladyhawk** (aghast): ((Nerd-boy? You'll be KILLED!!))

 **Starforce** (landing inside the interior end of the forcewall cylinder): ((no I won't))

(Starforce has barely made it in time. The bomb explodes)

(due to the fact I now have a 5d6 RKA explosion contained within a cylindrical forcewall serving as a gun barrel, I would rule that it also has the "Double Knockback" advantage in play as well. Starforce, his forcefield switched entirely to ED, takes only 25 STUN and remains motionless in the other end of the 'gun barrel' due to using his flight to brace against the force of the explosion. Lam Kuei doesn't fare so well, still being unconscious until the end of the turn. Unable to use his Knockback Resistance, he takes 23 meters of knockback -- which is MORE than sufficient to send him through the windows to plummet toward the streets of Santa Clara 100 meters below, taking 3 BODY and 55 more STUN after defenses)

 **Ladyhawk** (seeing Starforce collapse to his knees at the inside end of the 'gun barrel'): "STARFORCE!!"

 **Lady Blue** (kneeling and shaking her head): "Yo, Warbucks! That didn't feel so good to me, either!"

 **Ranger** (to Lady Blue): "Drop the forcewall."

 **Lady Blue** : "No problem!"

(Ladyhawk runs over to Starforce, who is just now getting to his feet while shaking his head)

 **Ladyhawk** (screaming at Starforce): "Nerd-boy you heroic IDIOT! WHAT were you THINKING?!?"

 **Starforce** : "That I didn't want to see the party blown up. Next question?"

(zzzzzZZZZZAP!)

(a tall Anglo in a white and red gi appears next to the display case containing Volume 3 of the _Liber Maximus Magia_. He removes it and briefly smiles)

(zzzzzZZZZZAP!)

(shocked pause)

 **Ranger** : "Well, CRAP!!"

* * *

(Sequoyah Holographic Corporate Headquarters, Santa Clara, CA. Ten minutes later)

(with the party effectively broken up by the attack, everyone is now down in the Lobby, preparing to leave or giving statements to PRIMUS and the local police. Ranger walks up to Lady Blue)

 **Ranger** : "Before I forget, thank you for your assistance tonight."

 **Lady Blue** : "Yeah, whatever." (beat) "Any clue what the kung-fu mercenaries were doing here other than ruining MY planned heist?"

 **Ranger** : "They were hired by Doctor Destroyer to steal an ancient book of High Magic which was owned by the party's host."

(Lady Blue's jaw drops open in shock)

 **Lady Blue** (shaking her head in disbelief): "Okay, there are SO many layers of wrongness in that sentence it's gonna take me a while to process it."

 **Ranger** : "To answer the question whose answer I DO know, Mr. Anspaugh's hobby is collecting Latin antiquities when he's not running Sequoyah Holographic. He didn't believe what the book was supposed to be."

 **Lady Blue** : "Okay." (beat) "That still doesn't explain why Destroyer was *after* that book! He's never been interested in magic, before!"

 **Ranger** : "That is what currently concerns a lot of people."

 **Lady Blue** : "No kidding."

 **Ranger** : "My turn now. You said earlier Destroyer's attack ruined *your* planned heist?"

 **Lady Blue** : "I was here tonight to do the usual. Steal from the rich, give to the poor -- minus ten percent for suit maintenance and upkeep, of course." (beat, getting into Ranger's face) "Which I NEVER got a chance to do between getting made by Hoosier Boy *and* Destroyer's mercs showing up!"

 **Ranger** : "What?"

 **Lady Blue** : "I was too busy protecting partygoers or helping you guys to even TRY!"

(leading a delegation of businessmen, Mr. Anspaugh walks up behind Lady Blue)

 **Ed** (behind Lady Blue): "About that, Dr. Lemick?"

 **Lady Blue** (annoyed): "What now?"

 **Ed** (handing Lady Blue a check): "I am willing to forgive what you were intending to do here based on what you actually did tonight."

(Lady Blue looks around behind Anspaugh. The businessmen with him are either holding checks or writing them)

 **Ed** : "I talked with a few friends. After what we've just been through, they agree with me, too."

(shocked, Lady Blue collects all the checks being offered her, stuffs them into a compartment on her belt, then looks at Ranger)

 **Ranger** : "There, now. Wasn't that a lot easier than what you WERE going to do tonight?"

 **Lady Blue** (lighting her forcefield): "Don't start, Cowboy."

(she flies out of the Lobby. Streaking past Starforce and Ladyhawk talking with a police detective, she climbs into the night sky like a shooting star)

 **Detective** (to Starforce, indicating Lam Kuei's body): "Did you kill him?"

 **Starforce** : "No."

 **Detective** : "Are you sure?"

 **Starforce** : "Yes."

(the detective stares at Starforce)

 **Starforce** (continuing): "He was still alive after the explosion blew him through the window."

(Ladyhawk facepalms)

 **Detective** (looking up the face of the office building): "30 stories?"

 **Ladyhawk** (still facepalming): "32."

(awkward pause)

 **Detective** (sighs): "I'll have the coroner list cause of death as deceleration trauma. You two are free to go."

 **Ladyhawk** (to the detective): "Thank you."

(the detective walks off, shaking his head)

 **Starforce** : "Deceleration trauma. I'll have to remember that phrase..."

 **Ladyhawk** (hitting Starforce): "NERD-BOY!"

(zzzzzZZZZZAP!!)

(disgusted, Ladyhawk walks away from Starforce as the Drifter rematerializes next to Ranger)

 **Drifter** : "They got the book, didn't they?"

 **Ranger** : "The attack was the distraction. Destroyer had hired a teleporter to grab the book while we were busy with it."

 **Drifter** (sighs): "I will need to return your team to Dallas. You will understand why once you're back."

 **Ranger** : "That still doesn't solve the problem involved with our secret identities."

 **Drifter** : "Leave that to me. This isn't the first time I have had to erase a hero's secret identity from the people who were around them when they changed."

 **Ranger** : "Thank you."

(as the Drifter walks off, Natalie steps outside. She sees Starforce and walks up to him)

 **Natalie** : "Dr. Hawkins?"

(Starforce instinctively responds to his normal name. Disgusted with himself, he facepalms)

 **Natalie** : "Relax, Bob! Some of us have been superheroes before..."

(shocked pause, held gaze)

 **Starforce** : "Who?"

 **Natalie** (indicating herself): "Doc Sonic. I retired two years ago."

 **Starforce** (beat): "Oh."

 **Natalie** : "I had forgotten just how much I missed being a hero until I saw you and your team in action tonight!"

 **Starforce** : "We had help from a supervillain..."

 **Natalie** (interrupting): "Perhaps she is not as much a villain as you believe her to be."

(long pause, held gaze)

 **Natalie** (smiling): "We'll talk after the strategic partnership gets signed."

 **Starforce** : "Professionally?"

 **Natalie** : "Of course!" (beat, smiles as she turns to walk away) "But don't forget you still owe me that dance."

* * *

(to be continued)


End file.
